Still Be Together
by MewxRetasu
Summary: It was painstakingly planned and carefully coordinated to the last degree... And on the appointed day, Hinata Hyuuga was declared ready to wed. His fists clenched and his breath hitched sharply the first time he heard of the match. Oneshot, NejiHina


As expected, the wedding was not a quiet affair. How could it be, when the heiress of the most illustrious clan in the entire village was at the center of the whole memorable event?

It was painstakingly planned and carefully coordinated to the last degree; by the big day, the last petal of each flower was accounted for and arranged to perfection.

And on the appointed day, Hinata Hyuuga was declared ready to wed.

* * *

He was some nameless big-shot, the next in line to lead some well-standing clan in some other village. The pairing was perfect on paper. _A good match, _the elders boomed in approval. _A perfect fit. They'll make an excellent pair._

His fists clenched and his breath hitched sharply the first time he heard of the match. His fists didn't relax and his breathing didn't soothe as the days, the weeks, and finally the months passed.

The awful thing was that he couldn't find a damn fault in the guy. Pick any other male from the village and he could pick out something to blame his disapproval on. Kiba Inuzuka? Well-meaning, but too loud, too rough, and too uncouth. The same went for Naruto Uzumaki. Shino Aburame? A clever boy, but difficult to engage and too aloof for Hinata as far as he could see. Shikamaru Nara was a genius and nice enough but Neji just didn't see them getting on as more than friends. Rock Lee? Just… no.

But this guy… there wasn't a crack in him. Neji didn't know much about him, and from what he did know, he had to grudgingly admit that he was a highly respectable and appropriate selection. Well-situated, friendly, polite, and deemed "a looker" by the crowds, he indeed seemed to be the perfect fit.

The only conceivable thing which Neji reasoned was wrong was that… he wasn't _him_.

* * *

She felt the first stab of shock during her first fitting for her wedding clothes.

The room was cool and quiet. The dressmaker, an old woman with skin like wrinkled paper, was busily jotting down her measurements in preparation to tailor a splendid white silk kimono. Of course, nothing but the best for a Hyuuga wedding.

"Hinata-sama, arms up, if you please…"

She lifted her arms to her sides obediently as a measuring tape was drawn across the span of her arms. Suddenly, she felt that the measuring tape was choking her, and she twisted backwards with a cry.

"Hinata-sama! I'm sorry… are you all right?"

She couldn't speak under the weight of her thoughts. _What have I agreed to?

* * *

_

She can hear the murmuring of the guests before she enters, and she almost absentmindedly catalogues those present in her mind.

Well, Ino and Sakura are here.

_Who would have imagined little Hina-chan would be the first? Oh, I'm so excited for her!_

_Yeah. That guy better take care of her…_

Thank you, Ino-chan, Sakura-chan. I hope so too.

And Naruto and Sasuke are present as well, bickering amicably away:

_The first wedding of all our classmates! I wonder who'll be next? Hey, hey, maybe me and Sakura-chan… right, Sasuke? _(She can hear the smile in his voice.)

_Hn… I doubt it. (snort)_

_Hey, hey! It's not that funny! What, do you think it'd be you? Antisocial bastard…._

…_..Naruto…! _(She can imagine the irritated look on Sasuke's face perfectly.)

There are people talking about the wedding itself.

…_must have cost a fortune… gorgeous design… the family has been thinking this through, hasn't it… extraordinary…_

There are those just chatting away lightheartedly about other things.

_I love your hat! It's so pretty._

_Oh, thanks! Yours is cute too._

_What a delight! Neji's little cousin, soon to join a youthful bond of love! _That overjoyed declaration was certainly Lee-san, she thinks, smiling ruefully.

"Hinata-sama? Are you ready?"

Her head jerks up, an uncertain expression manifesting itself her face. Her hands suddenly feel cold, and instead of feeling the tender, absent happiness of just a few minutes before, she suddenly feels intense panic.

"N-neji nii-san…"

She wants to say something more, but something curls in her throat and chokes her. Unable to say another word, she swallows hard and takes the hand Neji offers her. The blood pounding insistently in her head is making her incredibly dizzy, and she swears she's starting to see black dots.

Is it a warning from herself? _Act_ _now, or you'll hate yourself for never trying_?

Or is it just the heat, her nerves, the overwhelming excitement of a soon-to-be bride?

* * *

There's a pang in his heart when he realizes, once again, that the last chance at becoming _they_ is slipping away before him. He has the wild, irrational impulse to do something drastic, something incredibly insane, to make it stop. _What would Naruto do?_ He wouldn't take it lying down, no doubt.

Moments before the ceremony begins, as they stand outside the dark wooden door, he leans towards her to whisper something, anything in her ear. Anything to make time slow down, to hold these last ephemeral moments of possibility. _There is still time for this to change_, he perseveres uncharacteristically. _We can… still…_

She turns her face towards his. Her eyes are a little dark, and it doesn't take his eagle eyes to discern that she's been crying. Out of fear? Regret? He knows she doesn't want this at all, and he wonders if he can talk her out of it, if he can convince her (and himself) that this does not have to happen.

He finally bursts out in desperation, but suddenly realizes as he begins that he doesn't really know what to say. "Hinata-sama… I don't know if… I… I… but…" Fumbling over his own words, he finally stops and looks at her longingly, pleadingly.

She stares back, eyes defeated.

"I don't—"

Her eyes drop to the floor.

Hesitantly, he offers, "If you were… we can still be toge—"

It is at this crucial moment that the heavy door begins to slowly creak open for them. They hastily snap back their composure and turn to face the endless aisle. Neji, with a sick feeling in his stomach, takes a deep breath and holds his arm out for Hinata. With a soft hand, she touches his sleeve and follows, stumbling a bit.

He escorts her down the aisle as slowly as he can, feeling all the while that they are both walking to their own deaths.

* * *

As the elaborate proceedings continue, his heart sinks.

His own thoughts are crushing him from all sides. His mind is beginning to swirl into thoughts of cruel, cruel fate again, but he shakes himself mentally and tries to stop it.

* * *

She can't do this. She can't go through with this.

"I do," she hears herself say dutifully.

Her stomach aches and turns all through the traditional niceties which follow. They drink the traditional nine cups of sake, and they are pronounced to be officially bonded.

* * *

_The perfect wedding,_ Hinata can hear the general consensus. _May they live a happy, long life together!_

She pastes on a smile and hopes for the best.

* * *

It still haunts him, the wisp of a hope he dared to entertain.

It whispers in his ears at night, gently caresses his neck when he sleeps, flutters its insubstantial wings against his heart.

_We can… still…_

…_be toge-_

**A/N: So I just realized I haven't written any fanfiction for 4 years… I look at my old FF and I cringe. But then, I look at my current FF and cringe, lmao. :O**

**So I totally didn't do my homework and stayed up until 1 AM the night before our statewide writing test typing this all up. AGH. I wanted to flesh out the end, but after a certain point I was just out of ideas and was stuck as to what to do ;_; **

**Hope you enjoyed it?**


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